Columbia Business School and Booth for IB

Any real difference in IB Assoc. recruitment between CBS and Booth in terms of recruiting outcomes, support given to first years, FT conversion rates, and importantly - the network? I'm interested in more classic BB/EB shops rather than the specialized firms. 

If you were choosing between these two M7s, would you base it off of fit instead, since they're both great for IB?

 

Caveat: Didn't do post-MBA recruiting at either school, but know people who did at both.

Both do very well for IBD recruiting but there's a lot more "expected" out of you in terms of networking at CBS vs. Booth. Since CBS is in the city, you're expected to make the trek down to each bank's office multiple times which can be a drag whereas at Booth it's totally fine if you just schedule phone calls. I don't think placement is meaningfully different in NYC but I would imagine Booth has a lot more people in Chicago if that's something you care about. Other than that, just pick based on culture (and keep in mind that all the M7s--Sloan and Kellogg included--will get you a great banking job, so don't feel limited to just those two schools if there's another program where you feel you're a much better cultural fit. 

 

I appreciate the response. That is what I've heard - it may be less running around at Booth. Although someone at CBS may be able to better vet what bank group they fit in with since they must meet with bankers multiple times?

Edit: I'm interested in NY.

 
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Securing an IBD role at a top bank is ridiculously easy at Booth. If you speak English and go through the standard recruiting steps (which does involve a lot of coffee chats, lunches / dinners, networking events), then you will get a job. The supply of jobs simply outstrips the demand. Furthermore, geographic outcomes are dependent entirely on you rather than the availability of opportunities. If you want NYC, you’re fine. I don’t know many people who went to CBS, but I’d be shocked if the same exact dynamics weren’t true.

Based on this — I think you are wise to select the school on fit rather than recruiting.

CompBanker’s Career Guidance Services: https://www.rossettiadvisors.com/
 

I go to CBS. Both place very well and are great schools.  I will make the case for CBS to counter the Booth points from our friend above (who is a super valuable contributor to this site) 

Looking at employment reports, I think CBS marginally places better at the top banks (GS/MS/certain EBs) but you can get either from both. More investment bankers at CBS (employment report supports this) and so immediate alumni network is larger, but both networks are large.  CBS students tend to not want to recruit for regional offices as well, so in NYC my impression is that this is slightly more pronounced - on west coast for example, you might find proportionally more Booth ppl and in the midwest, you definitely would.  This is much more driven on interests than ability to land - you can get banking jobs in any office you want from any of the big feeder schools and friends from CBS placed at the top banks in non-NYC cities too

Recruiting in person (in normal years) is also a huge advantage.  Ability to randomly drop into a banker's office when they email at the last minute and end up meeting multiple people was great.  I felt like I was able to build genuine connections with plenty of bankers, many of which were Booth alums, that would have just been weirder or more impersonal over the phone - we talked at ton about how shitty the subway is, where we liked to eat, neighborhoods, etc.  Also was able to recruit a ton while still being able to see my school friends, friends in the city from before, and SO all on the same day which just made me personally happier.  CBS is generally not the place where people go to disconnect from the world for 2 years, which was great for me

This all being said, cultures are kind of different so I would totally agree that you should pick primarily based on fit.  On the margins, Booth is probs more down-to-earth, midwesty and CBS more Northeast and international well-connected types. but at the end of the day, both have smart driven people so you'll make friends at both 

Only last thing I would say is to not always believe shit ppl say on the internet (about CBS or otherwise).  In your shoes and maybe even today, I tried to scour the internet for info, but I can tell you that none of my friends have really ever posted on gmat club or whatever forums people use (most do not use this site, and a TON of the info about banks is outdated, targeted more for ugs, or straight up wrong.) so would just encourage you to talk to the finance students at any school you are looking at who are more plugged in to the processes and lifestyle 

Best of luck with applying

 

also re conversions - comes way more down to the person than what school you went to.  MBA full time conversions (at BB and EB) on a summer internship are very high and they treat internship recruiting as the vast majority of the full time pipeline.

Will add that at CBS, its exceptionally high in large part because you have to do so many chats and get to know so many people that you at least hopefully sort of understand what you're signing up for

 

Choose based on fit. If your focus is IBD, the path itself differs a bit by school, but not the outcome.

As my pal CompBanker excellently put it, you really have to somehow be unable to speak networking-English, or somehow fail to follow the standard steps, to miss an IB job at Booth. It's notoriously easy there; like dropping fish in a barrel. 

As someone else from CBS put it, the location affords you infinite networking opportunities, so if you're a go-getter, this is an advantage. It's a double-edged sword because with greater opportunities come greater obligations, but if you can't break into IBD from CBS, then you're not breaking in ever. 

Both schools have stacks of alumni in major decision-making roles across all major firms, so you have the inside track. 

Seriously - choose based on fit. There's no right answer to that because it's by definition a subjective thing. As early as two to three years out, interesting movements and opportunities will emerge across your own classmates. They are the core of your network. So, both schools will give you a comparable job, but what happens afterwards will be significantly impacted by your network. 

The truth is you're the weak. And I'm the tyranny of evil men. But I'm tryin', Ringo. I'm tryin' real hard to be the shepherd.
 

Both are great schools for finance and have fantastic IB placement. 

As others mentioned, a lot comes down to your desired location and where you want your network to be post-MBA. Many students focused in IB at CBS obviously end up in NYC post-MBA, so your IB network after CBS will be stronger in NYC compared to Chicago.

The NYC CBS club is insanely active and very well organized w/ multiple events per month. My friends from Chicago who end up in NYC after always mention how so many great alumni events happen in....well....Chicago. 

Beyond the b-schools, NYC just has a greater amount of Columbia alums given its proximity. 

Best of luck with your decision!!! 

 

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